Hey guys...

Posted this in Maintenance to no avail...

Just want to know your take on this whole situation, got a few things wrong with my car, mostly minor things.

I have a 2002 5-speed Ecotec Cav, I've got a P0440 check engine light that I can't figure out for the life of me, thinking it may be the EVAP selonoid wires (bulletin for this or something?) I've got stalling problems (had the recall done but thinking they may not have 'actually' flashed the ECU) For more info on this you can read my post in the Third Gen forum. As well as a question I have is, would it be normal for a car with 90,000+ km's to experience a decrease in performance? Still on stock everything I believe (purchased car used with 45,000 kms) or would it be acting more sluggish because of the check engine light?

Any help would be great...

And oh yeah, my car eats through front tires, mostly driver side, I am thinking this is because of alignment, and no, I do not roast my tires.

02ECOZ wrote:Hey guys...

Posted this in Maintenance to no avail...

Just want to know your take on this whole situation, got a few things wrong with my car, mostly minor things.

I have a 2002 5-speed Ecotec Cav, I've got a P0440 check engine light that I can't figure out for the life of me, thinking it may be the EVAP selonoid wires (bulletin for this or something?) I've got stalling problems (had the recall done but thinking they may not have 'actually' flashed the ECU) For more info on this you can read my post in the Third Gen forum. As well as a question I have is, would it be normal for a car with 90,000+ km's to experience a decrease in performance? Still on stock everything I believe (purchased car used with 45,000 kms) or would it be acting more sluggish because of the check engine light?

Any help would be great...

And oh yeah, my car eats through front tires, mostly driver side, I am thinking this is because of alignment, and no, I do not roast my tires.

decrease in performance, not necessarily associated with 90,000 km, but if you arent up on the maintainence it can show.

code 440 is evap system so it can be anything in that system.

eats through tires.... totally or one side? sounds like toe problems, but get an alignment check.


check engine light or the problem might cause a retard of timing and or performance...

Hey event,

Regular maintenance I am on top of, just things like fuel filter, spark plugs and brakes haven't been changed yet. Do you know anything regarding the recall for the ECU on the Ecotec's can it really cure idle problems, stalling, rough shifting?

that i am not sure... on the recall etc....

but....

i do know clogged or partially clogged fuel filters can cause stalling out though... have had it happen to me a long time ago...

spark plugs can be fouled a bit or worn and need to be regapped, from checking and regapping em you can fix idle probs and such... sparkplugs can be a indicator on how the engine is running internally. rich, lean, too hot, etc...

brakes i dont think will cause any of your issues posted so far....


for the recall, i would check with a local dealer, like the service dept. they could prob tell you more if you need a reflash done though

Dam-it Muffins (Event) wrote:

02ECOZ wrote:Hey guys...

Posted this in Maintenance to no avail...

Just want to know your take on this whole situation, got a few things wrong with my car, mostly minor things.

I have a 2002 5-speed Ecotec Cav, I've got a P0440 check engine light that I can't figure out for the life of me, thinking it may be the EVAP selonoid wires (bulletin for this or something?) I've got stalling problems (had the recall done but thinking they may not have 'actually' flashed the ECU) For more info on this you can read my post in the Third Gen forum. As well as a question I have is, would it be normal for a car with 90,000+ km's to experience a decrease in performance? Still on stock everything I believe (purchased car used with 45,000 kms) or would it be acting more sluggish because of the check engine light?

Any help would be great...

And oh yeah, my car eats through front tires, mostly driver side, I am thinking this is because of alignment, and no, I do not roast my tires.

decrease in performance, not necessarily associated with 90,000 km, but if you arent up on the maintainence it can show.

code 440 is evap system so it can be anything in that system.

eats through tires.... totally or one side? sounds like toe problems, but get an alignment check.


check engine light or the problem might cause a retard of timing and or performance...

I had an evap code on the 02' also. The purge solenoid went out. had it replaced free of charge. It still may be under warranty, as it is an evaporative emissions device. But that prob. wouldn't cause the stalling problem.

On the tires: Event, The toe would were both tires evenly. example: toe angles I / would move the steering wheel position and toe would be \ /
If both side of the tire are worn it should be an under inflation problem


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yeah reason i suggested toe is because if toe in or out, it would wear the entire face down...

with toe on one tire and straight on the other, it can wear the one tire that has the toe the most...

over inflation usually wears the centers more, under usually the outsides.

if its inside vs outside of the tire, it would sound more like positive or negative camber depending on the side...

and the most extremes of cases in tire wear unnoticed, i;ve ever seen atleast, was in the phillippines during the rainy season, a friend of my mothers accelerated hard when it was wet....

well avg, but it spun the tires, and she never noticed anything really... the spinning of the tires gets wear even if it is wet..... odd, but after a few months of daily driving, she had worn a few 32nds of the tire.

i had the idling problem with my ecotec off and on for a while before i had the recall done for it(they said it was an update for the computer), and to note it was getting really bad at stalling too(almost everytime i stopped). but since the recall was done i've had no problems with it at all


The Road goes ever on and on.........

Dam-it Muffins (Event) wrote:
with toe on one tire and straight on the other, it can wear the one tire that has the toe the most...

I don't agree. If one side was straight and the other had some negative toe, The tires would equal out giving you equal negative toe. The steering wheel will be position off center but the tires will wear evenly.


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